This Bentley B Special Speed 8 was constructed by Racing Green Engineering in Llanelli, Wales, with fabric-bodied four-seat touring coachwork inspired by the Le Mans-winning Bentley Speed Six racers of the 1920s and ’30s. Based on the refurbished chassis of a 1949 Bentley Mark VI, the car is powered by a 5,675cc Rolls-Royce B80 inline-eight that is equipped with dry-sump lubrication and quadruple SU carburetors. Under previous ownership, it participated in the 2017 Baltic Classic Rally through Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany before completing the 2019 Bentley Drivers Club Centenary Extraordinary Drive from John o’ Groats to Brooklands in the UK. Finished in black over black leather, the car is equipped with a Bentley four-speed manual transmission, servo-assisted drum brakes with hydraulic actuation up front, independent front suspension, 21” black-painted wire wheels, and a black soft top. This Racing Green Engineering B Special Speed 8 is now offered on dealer consignment with tools and a California title that is said to describe it as a 1949 Bentley.
Bentley introduced its 6½-liter offering in 1926 with power from a six-cylinder evolution of the 4½-liter model’s powerplant and a choice of various wheelbases carrying luxury-oriented coachwork. The Speed Six variant debuted in 1928 as a higher-performance derivative of the 6½ Litre and delivered Bentley its third and fourth consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans victories in 1929 and 1930. Just 182 examples of the Speed Six were built with a variety of body configurations over a choice of three wheelbases. Inspired by the original touring-bodied Speed Six racers, Racing Green Engineering’s B Special Speed 8 is among a range of Cricklewood-era Bentley recreations built by the South Wales marque specialists over refurbished Bentley Mark VI chassis.
This Speed 8’s reproduction bodywork incorporates an ash-framed, three-door rear body section covered in black vinyl as well as aluminum hood panels finished in black and black cycle-style fenders. Additional features include Lucas headlights and driving lights behind black mesh stone guards, a nickel-plated radiator shell, a black mesh grille guard, a fold-down laminated-safety-glass windshield with Brooklands-style wind wings, dual side mirrors, mudflaps, step plates, bright rear fender stone guards, mesh fuel-tank guards, quick-release radiator and fuel-tank caps, a fishtail-style exhaust outlet, and a black soft top with an oval rear window.
Black-painted wire wheels are secured by two-eared knock-offs and are wrapped in 6.75/7.00-21 Blockley tires, as is a matching spare secured to the left side of the cowl. The drum brakes are actuated hydraulically up front and mechanically at the rear wheels, with assistance provided to both ends via a mechanical gearbox-driven servo.
The right-hand-drive cockpit houses front bucket seats and a rear bench trimmed in black leather, with matching upholstery over the doors and side panels. Additional features include color-matched carpeting, front lap belts, a front door pocket, a cord-wrapped passenger-side grab handle, a right-hand shifter, a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror, and a handheld fire extinguisher.
The three-spoke steering wheel features a cord-bound rim and sits ahead of Smiths instrumentation with distressed lettering including a 110-mph speedometer, a tachometer, a clock, and gauges monitoring amperage, oil pressure, oil temperature, and coolant temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 7k miles.
The 5,675cc Rolls-Royce B80 inline-eight incorporates dry-sump lubrication, a single overhead camshaft, four SU carburetors, and dual-coil ignition.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Bentley four-speed manual transmission. The independent front suspension features coil springs, while the rear end utilizes a solid axle and leather-gaited leaf springs. Lever-arm hydraulic shock absorbers are utilized all around, and reproduction Andre Hartford friction shocks are present up front.
There is currently a lien on the car, and the seller’s lender will need to be paid off before the title can be transferred to the new owner.
